A Rose by Any Other Name.....

I got to come home for a few days!! "Into the Woods" took a 3.5 day vacation from rehearsals to enjoy the holiday. As most of my cast went to the cabin, I came home for the first time in 6 months. It was so weird coming home, but wonderful none the less. I walked into my room and saw that my sister was storing some of her grad gifts in there, which was fine. And someone had been sleeping in my bed, goldylocks was no where to be found, so like most things I blamed it on Amanda. As I got unpacked and settled back into my original surroundings I notice sitting on the dresser was a prom corsage. The sparkly black ribbon and dried roses were a beautiful combination. But as Amanda came into my room to grab the remaining stuff she had left from sleeping in my bed. I asked, "Amanda, is that your prom corsage." She replied, "No its Alexis'." Later on in the day I asked "Alexis is that your prom corsage on my dresser." She too replied, "No its Amanda's." Well thats not frustrating at all. So now I have this dried up prom corsage sitting on my dresser and it just magically got there.

As I starred at it, my mom called me downstairs. When I responded to her she said, "Will you take those roses up stairs they have been down here for months." Now before you think that I got some dead flowers stored in my room, let me just tell you....you're right. I collect dried flowers. No, not wilted probably should throw away flowers, but turned upside down for a long time and preserved flowers. I know it is an odd thing to collect, but it is a true representation of happy memories, and accomplishments. I have been collecting since I was about 13 years old and some of my favorites are....

When I was 16 I was in my first musical EVER!! It was "The Secret Garden," at Grandstreet Theatre, where I am currently working. I played a ghost/ a nurse. The whole thing was amazing and beautiful. As I looked down on our closing night show, I began to tear up. I wasn't ready for this to end and I knew now more than ever I wanted to be on stage for the rest of my life. As I scanned the audience during curtain call I looked down and saw my mom and my dad. My mom was crying, things that are typical! And as I met them after the show my mom presented me with these antiquely looking roses. The color was the mix between pink and off-white. They are definitely the prettiest of my dried collection.

This one was a flower my 2nd dad Craig Rude gave to me on my senior night for Cheerleading. I was running around, like I usually did before a game, trying to make sure everything was in order when I spotted my 2nd family. The Rudes!! Wanda and Craig are literally like my 2nd parents. I ran up to them to get my usual hug and Craig pulled me into a Craig Rude Bear Hug and the gave me this boutinere. The purple and yellow carnation wrapped in baby's breath, just about sent me into tears. As some of you know my dad was transferred my senior year and was not able to come to senior night. I completely understood, but as Craig pinned the flower on he said, "that's from your dad.....and me :)" As my sisters, mom, and myself walked across the gym floor, I looked up and there was Wanda and Craig. They made sure that even if my dad couldn't be there in person, he was going to be there in some way. 

Some others from my collection:

Bouquet I received from my parents

Junior year prom corsage

Senior year prom corsage

My Montana Jr. Miss winning roses

Flowers I got after winning Cut Bank's 

Each flower is not a dried up leaf but rather a picture onto which I keep memories. So its kinda sad when I see a beautiful corsage from a probably amazing night simply laying on my dresser and no one wants to claim it. People say to stop and smell the roses or as Walter Hagen puts it, "You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry, don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way." To me these phrase are simply putting that if you don't take time to make memories and smile onto the beauty of your life and surroundings, life is gone in a flash without you truly knowing how to live. My collection is a constant reminder to me to continue taking advantages of the opportunities life has been giving me. That life is only as beautiful as the memories, experiences, and the thoughts that you fill it with.